Harry Potter did not go to Hogwarts to learn magic. He went there to discover his destiny.

Many Hogwarts-based sites are so hung up on the idea of Hogwarts as a magic school that they run into trouble when it comes to the issue of classes. I’m sure you’ve seen them.

Some sites emphasise classes a lot, and penalise characters who don’t post in class threads. Other sites put little emphasis on classes, either by making them optional or getting rid of them all together.

But really, Hogwarts was never a magic school except in name. It was a literary device. And classes at Hogwarts were always just foreshadowing. Even Wingardium Leviosa - which I’m sure you, like me, have roleplayed learning more times than you can count - was only shown being taught so that it would make sense later when Harry and Ron saved Hermione from that troll.

It was with this all in mind that I created Hogwarts Lives. I’ve joined and left dozens of Hogwarts-based sites, and none were quite what I was looking for. It wasn’t until I sat down and thought about it that I realised what I wanted.

I was looking for a site where my character could be like Harry and his classmates. I wanted my character to be able to go to classes, but for those classes to be about character development and plotting. I did not want to roleplay copying instructions from some dusty professor’s board for the millionth time!

That’s what you can find here at Hogwarts Lives. My aim is to create a site you can look forward to logging into, instead of obliged because there’s some class thread you need to reply to. Where you don’t need exhaustive fandom knowledge to make sense of what’s going on. And most of all, where you can feel free to be creative and collaborate with the other members.

Open plotted (which I made up just then) is a cross between a traditional planned plot and sandbox style. Members are encouraged to make use of the Threading Opportunities forum to brainstorm ideas as well as plan and run their own plots.

Events are mainly based on the Hogwarts school year, however there are plans for a faction currently only called The Darkness to attack the school at regular intervals. Because it just wouldn't be Hogwarts without a deadly threat.